Cellulose nitrate composition



Patented Apr. 13, 1926.. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEWART J. CARROLL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAKCOMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CELLULOSE NITRATE COMPOSITION.

No Drawing.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cellulose-NitrateCompositions, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exactspecification. 1 v

This invention relates to nitrocellulose compositions containingchlorinated deriva-' tives of the cyclic hydrocarlmns C ll and theirhomologues,

()ne object of the invention is to provide acon'ipositiou of this kindin which the presence of eamphor is not required. An-

other object oftho invention is to provide arelatively inexpensivecomposit-ion in which the flowing and setting properties are enhanced bythe use of one or more of the mouohydroxy aliphatic alcohols containingmore than I and less than 6 carbon atoms. Other objects will hereinafterappear.

In U. S. Patent No. 1 342 602 Seel June 8, 1920; cellulose nitratecomposition, there is disclosed a flowable fihn-forming composition inwhich cellulose nitrate is combined with a chlorinated derivative ofcertain cyclic hydrocarbons, such as naphthalene, the combination beingeflected with the aid of both camphor' and a monohydroxy aliphaticalcohol, such as butyl alcohol or fusel oil. I have found that thecomposition may be simplified and rendered less expensive by on'iittingthe caniphorentirely of Technology of Cellulose Esters by E. C.

Worden, published in New York, N. Y., by D. Van Nostrand Company in1921. While I shall hereinafter give specific examples of my invention,it will be understood that these are for purposes of illustration andthat the invention is'not restricted to these details, except asindicated in the appended claims.

STEWART J. CARROLL,

Application filed July 9, 1924. Serial No. 724,935.

A flowable film-forming composition suitable ,for the manufacture offilms for photographic purposes comprises 100 parts of nitrocellulose.from 20 to 50 (say 40) parts of butyl alcohol or tusel oil, 10' to 50(say 20) parts of commercial monoehlornaphthalene dissolved in 300 to450 parts of a-volaor acetone, or a mixture of these in any proportion(say equal parts by weight of f each). The proportion of fusel oil orbutyl alcohol is, of course, below that whieh'will cause a precipitationofthe other ingredicuts, the range of percentage just given beingparticularly useful. The butyl alcohol may be any one of the isomerscomprised under that name or a mixture thereof. Normal butyl alcohol ispreferred. The fusel'oil maycomprisc chiefly one or more of the isomericamyl alcohols. Of course, a small amount of lower alcohols, such aspropyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol. can be present, provided the bulkof fusel oil or butyl alcohol comprisesthe ingredients stated above. Themonochlornaphthalene may be of the commercial type, the bulk of itboiling between 250 C. and 275 C. (say chiefly around 265 C.). lVhere itis desired to have a more freely flowable composition, as in lacquersand varnishes, the amount of acetone or methyl alcohol may be increaseduntil the proper degree is reached.

In place of monochlornaphthalene I may wholly or partially substitute amore highly chlorinated body, such as the commercial translucent waxytetrachlornaphthalene. This contains other chlornaphthalenes, but

-tile common sol vent, such as methyl alcohol its chief boiling range isbetween 310 C.

and 340 C. When used alone, instead of displacing onlya small part ofthe monochlornaphthalene, the maximum amount which is recommended isless than the maximum proportion of monochlorna-phthalene namedhereinabove. When employed as the sole chlorinated body in themixture,.it is preferable to keep it at about 10% of the weight of thecellulose nitrate.

These solutions are sufiieiently viscous to flow properlyduring sheet orfilm manufacture, the volatile ingredients passing off at the right rateto permit the rapid setting of the films without impairing or pittingthe product. The resulting films containing the unvolatilizedingredients are flexible, smooth,

transparent and uniform sufficiently for use as photographic film. Therelatively larger proportion of higher alcohols increases theflexibility.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters Patent is:

'1. A composition of matter consisting of cellulose nitrate, achlor-nucleo substitution product of the hydocarbons C l-Lag and theirhomologues, an alcoholic ingredient weighing more than 20% of the weightof the cellulose nitrate, said alcoholic ingredient comprising chiefly amonohydroxy aliphatic alcohol containing more than 3 and less than 6carbon atoms and sufiicient volatile liquid, which is a common solventof the three hereinabove named ingredients, to render the 'mixtureflowable.

2. A simplified composition of matter, substantially free from camphorand highboiling ester substitutes therefor, comprising cellulosenitrate, a chlor-nucleo substitution product of the hydrocarbons (Lil-Iand their homologues and an alcoholic ingredient weighing from 20 to 50%of the weight of the cellulose nitrate, said alcoholic ingredientcomprising chiefly a monohydroxy aliphatic alcohol containing more than3 and less than 6 carbon atoms.

3. A simplified flowable film-forming composition of matter,substantially free from camphor and high-boiling ester substitutestherefor, comprising cellulose nitrate, a chlornucleo substitutionproduct of the hydrocarbons C H and their homologues, an

alcoholic ingredient weighing, from 20 to I position, substantially freefrom camphor' and high-boiling ester substitutes, therefor comprisingcellulose nitrate, monochlornaphthalene and butyl alcohol. V

5. A composition of matter consisting of 100 parts by Weight ofcellulose nitrate, from 20 to 50 parts of butyl alcohol, from 10 to 50parts monochlornaphthalene and 300 to 450 parts of methyl alcohol.

6. As an article of manufacture, a deposited or flowed film,substantially free from camphor and high-boiling" ester substitutestherefor, comprising cellulose nitrate, a chlor-nucleo substitutionproduct of the-hydrocarbons C H and their omologues, and a monohydroxyaliphatic alcohol containing more than 3 and less than 6 carbon atoms.

7. As an article of manufacture, a flexible, transparent film,substantially free from camphor, consisting of cellulose nitrate,monochlornaphthalene, and a monohydroxy aliphatic alcohol containingmore than 3 and less than 6 carbon atoms.

Signed at Rochester, New York this 26th day of June 1924.

STEWART J. CARROLL.

